He sings the praises of Iowas’ AAA bond rating as evidence of his fiscal management. That’s like my husband telling me, our checkbook and savings are empty, but we’ve got $15,000 we can still spend on the credit card.

We can do better. We deserve better. I can’t wait to talk to Iowan’ about Branstad’s goals and about Iowa’s comeback.

TB made personal sacrifices to come back and help our state, which made my decision to be a part of his team easy.

Together, as Republicans, we can do anything. Iowans are clamoring for leadership.

rural developoment initiatives, front lines with local govenrment to find new ways to deliver services at low cost to taxpayers of Iowa.

Our best days are ahead of us. No debt we can’t get through.

10 years from now, with TB’s leadership, we will find ourselves in a better state with smaller, limited government.

Together, as Republicans, we will lead the way. Thank you and God Bless.

1:45 – Branstad takes the stage.

We have dealt with a similar situation before when I first took office. I changed things then and left office with $900 million surplus. Then I went to the private sector. It’s made me sick seeing what Culver has done. Film office scandal. HAVA federal money misused by Culver. No open budget meetings.

You deserve better.

The American people have seen what happens when Dems have all the power. Healthcare is not sustainable. Cap and trade would be awful for Iowa’s economy.

I’ll veto any budget that violates the spending cap limitation. I’ll work with Vaudt.

I’ll work with Northey to make Iowa’s ag the best in the nation.

I’ll work with Matt Schultz – Criminals should not get their rights back without earning them. I’ll fix that with an executive order to combat Culver’s.

Dave Jamison – County officials are saying we need Dave Jamison, and we need Kim Reynolds to make local government more efficient. Jamison will be the watchdog we need as state treasurer.

Brenna Findley – atty. gen. – WE have the same AG as last time I was gov., and he’s been a disaster. Won’t allow people to vote on marriage, won’t challenge healthcare. Fndley will will be and AG we can be proud of.

Reynolds – there is no harder worker. She was responsible for bringing drivers license access to rural counties through the county treasurer’s office. That’s now in 86 counties. This is an example of efficient and good government.

We are enthusiastic about opportunities for GOP to win this year. We need to control legislature to get a vote on the marriage amendment and protect fiscal issues.

Some are disappointed in outcome of election, but we need to come together because the future of our state is at stake.

You can help us elect the entire team of Republicans this year.

My record is 11 and o in elections. Let’s make it 12 and 0. Let’s lead the whole team to victory. We can do it with your help. Thank you and God Bless.

1:56 – speech concludes.

About the Author

Craig Robinson

Craig Robinson is the founder and editor-in-chief of TheIowaRepublican.com, a political news and commentary site he launched in March of 2009. Robinson’s political analysis is respected across party lines, which has allowed him to build a good rapport with journalist across the country.
Robinson has also been featured on Iowa Public Television’s Iowa Press, ABC’s This Week, and other local television and radio programs. Campaign’s & Elections Magazine recognized Robinson as one of the top influencers of the 2012 Iowa Caucuses.
A 2013 Politico article sited Robinson and TheIowaRepublican.com as the “premier example” of Republican operatives across the country starting up their own political news sites. His website has been repeatedly praised as the best political blog in Iowa by the Washington Post, and in January of 2015, Politico included him on the list of local reporters that matter in the early presidential states.
Robinson got his first taste of Iowa politics in 1999 while serving as Steve Forbes’ southeast Iowa field coordinator where he was responsible for organizing 27 Iowa counties. In 2007, Robinson served as the Political Director of the Republican Party of Iowa where he was responsible for organizing the 2007 Iowa Straw Poll and the 2008 First-in-the-Nation Iowa Caucuses. Following the caucuses, he created his own political news and commentary site, TheIowaRepublcian.com.
Robinson is also the President of Global Intermediate, a national mail and political communications firm with offices in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Washington, D.C. Robinson utilizes his fundraising and communications background to service Global’s growing client roster with digital and print marketing.
Robinson is a native of Goose Lake, Iowa, and a 1999 graduate of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, where he earned degrees in history and political science. Robinson lives in Ankeny, Iowa, with his wife, Amanda, and son, Luke. He is an active member of the Lutheran Church of Hope.